Blossoming of the Heart
by Sharkey
Summary: OK, Picture this...It's Valentine's Day in Middle-Earth, Grima wakes up in Edoras to find.... well read on to find out. NB: To be completely safe, I've given this story a PG rating.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the LOTR characters you see in this story, apart from Friéda, Érika and Périn who all belong to me.  
  
Please note: This story is set BEFORE Saruman buys Gríma.  
  
Blossoming of the heart  
  
Chapter 1: Shadows of Remembrance  
  
Gríma awoke to plate sunlight, streaming through his window. Judging by the pale quality of the light, he realised that he must be the only one in the Golden Hall that was awake. It was far too early for even the servants to be up.  
  
He was about to get out of bed and dress, when a thought occurred to him. It was the worst thought that anyone like Gríma could think. Yesterday had been the thirteenth of February so....so that meant today was the fourteenth. Gríma groaned out loud. Valentine's Day. The worst date of the year in his calendar.  
  
He wasn't cold hearted himself; it was just that other people were cold towards him, which made him loath this day so much.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
When Gríma had been only seven years old, he had sent a Valentine's card to a young girl called Friéda. When she got it she had stared, open mouthed at it. She had looked up, seen Gríma and then sniggered before tearing the card into shreds before his very eyes. Many other so-called "normal" children had been there as well and so they all had laughed at him. They thought his pain was whimsical, his heartbreak, hilarious. And so had begun the growth of the immense hatred that Gríma would feel, for the rest of his life, towards the people of Rohan.  
  
*End flashback*  
  
From that day on, Gríma knew he'd always despise Valentine's Day. It would always remind him of his adult and childhood loneliness and every time this day came, he would feel two sharp pangs in his heart, for the only two women, he had ever loved. Friéda...and Éowyn. He collapsed back onto his bed, buried himself under the sheets and went slowly but determinedly back to sleep. 


	2. Escape

Chapter 2 - Escape  
  
When he awoke for the second time, he knew he wasn't the only one awake for he could hear that the servants were now up, bustling around the halls and corridors. Gríma got up out of bed, washed and dressed and then left his room. He arrived at the main hall a few minutes later, and the sight that awaited him, made his already sickened stomach feel ready to heave.  
  
At one of the side tables, Éowyn and Éomer were counting their cards. Éomer had a few, but as per normal, Éowyn had hundreds. Gríma also noticed that the King had a card on the arm of his throne. "No doubt a Niece to an Uncle card" he thought bitterly. Gríma had no relatives to speak of and so he never received anything from them either.  
  
Gríma walked over to the cluster of oak tables, and desperately tried to make for one that wasn't occupied. Too late. Éowyn had seen him. "Come and join us Gríma" she called happily. So Gríma could do nothing else but accept the offer, pull up a chair and sit down at their table. He took a piece of bread from the plate in the middle of the table and began to butter it.  
  
"So, Gríma" said Éomer. Gríma looked up from his breakfast, dreading the next question. "How many cards did you get?" Poor Gríma swallowed hard and tried to keep his face looking as neutral as was possible. "None, yet" he replied. "Never mind Gríma. I'm sure you'll get one soon. There's always somebody for everyone."  
  
Gríma knew all too well that Éomer simply loved taunting him on Valentine's and after this last sentence, it was all Gríma could do to stop his eyes, darting to Éowyn. He knew what he had to do. Gríma finished his breakfast in record time, bade a hasty goodbye to the pair and dashed out towards the stables. No one wanted him here today of all days, in Edoras. Besides, everyone would be too afloat on Cloud Nine to give a single thought to him, or where he was.  
  
Gríma finally reached the seventh stall where his horse, Périn was stabled. He unlatched the door and walked in. The beautiful mare turned around and when it saw Gríma, it nuzzled into him fondly, as a dog would greet its master. Gríma stroked the horse's thick mane and horse whinnied with contentment. Périn's entire coat and mane were both glossy jet black apart from his nose and around his hooves which were grey and white. 


	3. Freedom At Last

Chapter 3 - Freedom At Last  
  
Gríma breathed in the scent of horse and fresh straw and at once felt serenity and happiness, coursing through his veins into his very heart. Here he could be with the only creature that truly loved him for who he was. Périn did not judge him, as everyone else did, instead he accepted him as a normal master, as a normal person. He saddled the horse, which obediently stood very still. As he mounted, Périn tossed his head and pawed at the ground as though eager to set off. They trotted out of the stables together and Périn was over-joyed to finally get some fresh air. They galloped out of Edoras until they reached the plains of Rohan. It was a sight to behold indeed. Horse and human united like one. The very image of friendship and trust moved swiftly across the sandy coloured ground, partly covered in lush vegetation. The wind whipped Gríma's hair about his face and his black cloak streamed behind him, gliding along softly, like a tenebrous ghost.  
  
The Sun's rays flitted across the plants, making the dew glitter and sparkle like precious gems. The flowers consolidated with the Sun and so shone with a radiant golden glow that even the brassy heart of Saruman the White, could not fail to notice the simple yet expressive beauty in blooms such as these, should chance permit him to pass that way.  
  
Later on in the day, when the Sun had reached her highest peak of heat, the pair slowed to a canter and finally stopped to rest by a large oak. Gríma didn't worry about tying Périn to the tree for safety for he knew that Périn would not abandon him, nor would he wish to. As Gríma rested against the trunk, eyes shut, a gentle breeze lapped delicately at his cheeks, (which had now gained a healthy glow).  
  
Périn was grazing around the area where Gríma lay; and drinking from a small lake, perfectly happy with the day's going-on's. They carried on riding together until mid afternoon, when they eventually turned to head back to Edoras. Gríma understood that he would again have to face Éomer and his relentless mockery, but none of that mattered for the moment. He would meet the man gladly face to face as soon as he walked back through the doors into the Golden Hall. But all that; Gríma pushed to the back of his mind. He wanted to enjoy the last moments he had with Périn, before the night snatched away the Sun.  
  
When Gríma and Périn reached the stables, night had begun to draw in. As Gríma was leading Périn back into his stall, he could have sworn he heard a child cough. But he dismissed it. No one was ever about this late, and certainly not a child. Gríma decided that he would feed Périn as slowly as he could so as to try and make the time with his horse last longer. 


	4. Someone Like Me

Chapter 4 - Someone Like Me  
  
Outside, not far from the stables, a small child had been watching Périn and Gríma's return with immense curiosity. Her father was asleep and her mother was sewing with her back turned.  
  
She knew that the poor man never got a single Valentine or a nice word said to him, and she herself understood exactly what that felt like, so felt deep pity and clemency towards him. She decided that she had to help him. Surely, it couldn't hurt to slip out of the house for a few minutes. Besides, she wouldn't be missed. Her mother always seemed to be hypnotised when sewing and her attention was rarely drawn to anything else.  
  
She carefully removed a single red rose from the bunch that her parents had given to her earlier that day then quietly pushed open the door of the house and ran up towards the stables. When she reached the stables, she could faintly hear the sound of a man speaking softly to his horse. She edged round the door that had been left ajar, still clutching onto the rose. As she entered the stables, the warm smell of horse greeted her and she felt much more at ease. She wandered down the rows of stalls, following the sound of the voice, until she reached the seventh stall.  
  
The sight that she now witnessed made her mouth drop open in surprise. Standing only a few feet away from her was Gríma. He was decidedly taller than she had first perceived him and yet it wasn't that which surprised her. He and the horse that he was grooming looked as though they were born to be together. Apart from the fact that they were both nearly all black, well.she had never in all her life seen a horse act this way before. It seemed to understand Gríma's every word to it and the bond that was so visible between them, she knew for definite, it was a rare sight. Even Lady Éowyn's horse did not behave as fondly towards her as this mare did to Gríma. Suddenly, the mare looked up and saw her. It neighed softly and Gríma span round sharply as he registered her presence.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" he asked her, though not unkindly. "My Lord Gríma" she began "I came to give you this" and she handed him the red rose. Now it was Gríma's turn to stare open mouthed. He was gazing upon the rose as though it were a priceless treasure. Gríma looked up at the little girl, who was smiling broadly at his reaction. "I don't know what to say" he managed to splutter out "Except..well, thank you." At that moment, his face broke into the first true smile he had smiled at Edoras for a long time. After this small gesture of benevolence, Gríma found he couldn't hold it back any longer. A tear of happiness, leaked out from his eye and ran down his cheek. "I'm so glad you like it" she said. "Like it?" said Gríma in disbelief. "I shall treasure it." "Thank You again..Miss.er?" "Oh. Érika, my name is Érika" she said. She smiled at him and then turned to leave. "Before you go, Érika" Gríma called after her "I want you to know that you have made this day one of the happiest I have ever known" "It's OK, my Lord Gríma" Érika grinned at him and then disappeared out the door. 


	5. The Bud of a Heart

Chapter 5 - The bud of a Heart  
  
Gríma finished grooming Périn and then with the rose clasped firmly in his hand, he started back up the hill to the Golden Hall. The utter shock on Éomer's face, when he saw what Gríma was carrying in his hand, made Gríma want to burst out laughing. But he didn't. Instead he retained a calm composure (although now and again a short grin would begin to play upon his lips.) Gríma didn't bother to quicken his pace, he was enjoying every second of the shock and disbelief that passed over the nobles faces when he passed by, too much.  
  
On his way back to his chambers, Gríma took a quick detour. He procured a small vase and filled it half full with water. Back in his chambers, Gríma set the vase down upon his bedside table and placed the delicate flower inside it. Gríma lay awake in bed that night for quite a long time, for he couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful rose. As he felt his eyelids closing he thought to himself,  
  
"How remarkable, that a young child of pure innocence, would not see me as a profane inhuman being like the rest of her kin do, but instead, she saw me as who I really am, inside" thought Gríma. "This has truly been the one Valentine's Day I shall remember with gaiety forever"  
  
And holding those contemplations in his mind and heart, Gríma drifted off to sleep, a genuine smile, resting upon his lips. 


End file.
